<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>My Town, Mystic Falls by HextechZydrate</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23076394">My Town, Mystic Falls</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HextechZydrate/pseuds/HextechZydrate'>HextechZydrate</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Vampire Diaries (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:08:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,862</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23076394</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HextechZydrate/pseuds/HextechZydrate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This town always held many a curious creature, from witches, to werewolves, to vampires, oh my!<br/>When Oleander comes to town to discover who she is, and what her taken past was, she finds it will not be as easy as she had determined. Will she be able to survive this small town's history, or will it swallow her whole?<br/>Alternatively, will she swallow the town, instead?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Day 1: Arrival</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Day 1:</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What a tiresome journey it has been. Long have I traveled to find such a place as I stand in now.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>'Tis supposed to be my exile, but I will make it my Kingdom.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I will come back with a Vengeance none have seen before.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mystic Falls.</p>
<p>The name of this quaint town hid behind it many a secret, many a story left untold, or skewed by humankind. Many strange and haunting tales reach me on the wind, and as The taxi rolled to a stop at my drop off, I couldn't help but squeeze my hands around the diary in my lap.</p>
<p>The words inside it haunted me and called to me, an overlapping fear of its contents, and adrenaline from the excitement it brought with it.</p>
<p>I exited the vehicle as the driver began to unload my things, and looked up to see the complex I would now call my home, so long as I decided to stay here. The building was clearly older, perhaps at the turn of the century, and yet it was well kept. There was no signs of chipping on the exterior, which was deep green in color, and white shutters to offset its darkness.</p>
<p>It was nearly blinding to look at.</p>
<p>There was only two stories, with what looked like six rooms, counting by windows, on each side. The main lobby, which I promptly assessed as we meandered inside with my things, was quite small, only fitting the stairwell, a small area for where the mail was delivered, and a little corner office, containing the chaotic organization of one newly acquired Landlord.</p>
<p>She scrambled to get up to greet us when she noticed we had entered, papers falling to the floor from her desk, and pushing her glasses up high. I gave my best smile as she came close, noting that she was wearing far too much perfume, and trying not to breathe it in too heavily.</p>
<p>"Hello, deary! You must be Oleander!" She mused, reaching out and taking my wrist in her hands. I noted how her hair was mostly brown, with the grays decorating it in places to give away her age. The laugh lines had also begun to set in, and it was confirmed with the big grin she gave me. "Your prettier than I realized! And your eyes are so... Unique!" She mused.</p>
<p>She was referring to the fact that they were a dulled orange color, almost passable as brown if you weren't looking closely.</p>
<p>"Yes, hello. You are Nancy, correct?" I greeted as warmly as I could muster through the groggy aftermath of a three hour car ride.</p>
<p>"Right you are! My, an accent! Are you foreign?" She tilted her head before flicking her eyes behind her, my driver likely still hauling in my things from the trunk. "Oh, I do apologize. I'm sure you want to let this nice man get back to... wherever he's from." She dipped into the office, pulling out a set of keys. "I'll get your room open so we can get your things in. We can address formalities later."</p>
<p>I nodded my appreciation before following her, eyeing the man behind me, who only nodded with a smile. Nancy fumbled with the keys as we moved past the set of stairs to the first doorway on the right, exclaiming quietly when she found the right one and wiggled it into the lock.</p>
<p>"This way, dear." She said as she pushed in and I followed in suit.</p>
<p>The apartment was quaint, with a kitchen that was separated from the living room by a simple bar, and another door to the far right that I presumed was the bedroom. I could only hope there was a bathroom connected to the bedroom.</p>
<p>Everything was a lovely wood furnish, and the kitchen was a white marble with the same wood coloring for the cabinets and flooring.</p>
<p>It really needed some color.</p>
<p>Stepping in, I noticed there was a fireplace on the left, as it was the only non-wood feature, close to where the window was, and I smiled.</p>
<p>"Is that functional?" I pointed to the corner and Nancy smiled in my direction.</p>
<p>"Very much, dear! I had it inspected before your arrival."</p>
<p>"Lovely." I mused, taking another quick look around. "It's quaint. I love that it's cozy." In other words, it was very small, but it would work for now.</p>
<p>"I'm glad you are satisfied!" She grinned before moving towards the man behind me. "Let me help you with these, sir. Are there much more?" They're voices faded, signalling that they had moved to outside the room, presumably to retrieve more belongings.</p>
<p>I pushed myself to explore, opening the door to the bedroom and sighing a relief when there was another door leading into a bathroom. The color schemes were the same as the rest of the house: Wood, and marble in the bathroom.</p>
<p>I heard the voices returning and decided to meet them there. They dropped several boxes and bags into the living room, creating a neat pile of all my things that could fit in the car.</p>
<p>"The driver tells me the rest of your furnishings will be here tomorrow, deary." Nancy nodded at me. "If you like, I have a spare bed you can use for tonight."</p>
<p>"Please, that would be most appreciative." I approached the driver as he set the last few bags against the pile, pulling out my wallet. I dished out several hundred dollars and handed it to him with a grin.</p>
<p>"Miss," The older gentleman smiled, "This is far too much."</p>
<p>"That's for helping me as well. Take care driving home, please." He looked like he wanted to hug me, but only nodded with a smile plastered to his face before excusing himself.</p>
<p>"I'll get my boys to move that bed in for you." Nancy said distractedly as she watched the driver leave. "In the mean time, I'd like to discuss-"</p>
<p>"There's someone I have to call." I interrupted before she could finish, causing her to turn to me sharply in surprise. "Is there a phone I could use? It's quite urgent."</p>
<p>"Oh... Sure." She said with an unsure smile, but left to retrieve said object, and I took that moment to ward my new complex with a spell that would work as an alarm, in case anyone I was unaware of entering should be anything but human.</p>
<p>I wiggled my fingers at my side, glancing at all the walls as I did. As the magic weaved and worked through the place, I felt nothing out of the ordinary, and sighed a relief.</p>
<p>Being what I am, I didn't want to immediately draw unnecessary attention to myself. <em>Especially</em> Witches.</p>
<p>They proved to be the most annoying, interestingly.</p>
<p>When Nancy returned with the phone I grabbed her wrist and looked deep into her eyes, feeling my pupils dilate as I silently commanded her. "Tell me your full name."</p>
<p>"Nancy Peloski." She complied dazedly.</p>
<p>"And your occupation?"</p>
<p>"I'm a Landlady."</p>
<p>"Your boys' names?"</p>
<p>"Danny, and Patrick." She was good and dazed, well under the compulsion I pushed onto her.</p>
<p>"Do you know anything about the supernatural residents in this town?" I pressed, watching her eyes flux along with mine.</p>
<p>"Supernatural?" She questioned. "I don't believe I understand." I blinked slightly before nodding. She was an innocent, so she was safe to use in necessary precautions. A secondary alarm, give or take.</p>
<p>"Forget this conversation took place." I willed before letting go of her wrist. She blinked, and I gave my best smile as I took the phone from her.</p>
<p>"Someone important, I wager?" She said, as if she hadn't just been under a trance. I grinned.</p>
<p>"Very much." I chuckled gently. "To answer your earlier question, yes. I was born in England many years ago, but I've since grown accustomed to the ways of America."</p>
<p>"How long have you been here?"</p>
<p>"Long enough that I don't really remember what home was like." I shrugged. That, in itself, was true. How many years in actuality, however, was a different story entirely.</p>
<p>Far, far too many.</p>
<p>"Well, take your time, deary. Come find me when you're ready to talk about semantics." She waved her hand around before excusing herself. I let my facade down immediately, throwing the phone to the counter.</p>
<p>Playing overly nice was exhausting.</p>
<p>But I would have to remain under the radar if I wanted to lay my roots into the town.</p>
<p>Mystic Falls was full of dangerous people, after all.</p>
<p>Not quite as much as me, though.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Day 2: Fraternizing with the Enemy?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Day 2:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No one has more suspicion of the Founding Families than I. It's been a mere day, and already, I've been visited by four of them.</em>
</p><p><em>No doubt, to understand who I am. Then, what exactly are they hiding that </em>I<em> am the one to be suspicious of?</em></p><p>
  <em>I must unravel their secrets to determine my well being.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The bed Nancy had loaned me for the night was, what i could only describe, as -excruciating-. She did -not- mention exactly how old the bed was, nor that its kinks were so embedded, it was nearly impossible to sleep in it without a few bruises in the morning.</p><p>I pulled myself from its deep crevices with a huff and opened the bedroom window, casting in a bright orange glow from the morning sun across my mostly empty apartment. I basked in its warmth for a few minutes, surveying the emptiness of the town as I did.</p><p>I could view the square from here, the fountain and trees also covered in the warm orange color, with only a straggler here and there, probably to do their morning routine, or open up a shop. There was a runner heading off down one street, headphones in her ears and ponytail bobbing behind her.</p><p>What intrigued me, was the black sports car rolling up to the bar so early this morning. I raised an eyebrow as a man stepped from the vehicle, not even bothering with parking properly as he slammed the door. He ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair (auburn, maybe?) and leaned heavily against the door.</p><p>He was agitated.</p><p>A few seconds later, as if almost instinctively, he turned his head immediately in my direction, as if he sensed me staring at him, and his arm fell as he stared back.</p><p>Quickly, I smiled and gave a small wave of my hand in his direction, trying to play it off as an accidental eye contact. He seemed to tilt his head in question, and I turned my attention elsewhere, trying to distract myself from his gaze.</p><p>I felt his eyes on me still and, with a small yawn, i pulled back into the room, covering my mouth.</p><p>I hope he didn't plan on coming up here.</p><p>I meandered into the bathroom, pulling my toothbrush from a cup that I had set up the night before, in an attempt to make it feel more real that I was here. I looked into my own eyes, the glow of orange casting their gaze over my mirrored form. I shook my head out a little, the wave of red curls a mess of tangles on my head.</p><p>"I will tame you in a moment." I pointed to the reflection with the brush in my hand before beginning my routine.</p><p>After an hour or so, my locks were kempt, framing my face in waves, and my face was refreshed, with just a touch of makeup to add a little color to my skin, and a little sharpness to my eyes.</p><p>As if they needed it.</p><p>I grabbed my pair of glasses off of the counter before exiting the bathroom, slipping them on. I didn't need them anymore, but they were a nice addition to my current disguise of nicety, with a sense of familiarity from wearing them for a time.</p><p>And, I liked them.</p><p>Digging through my suitcases, I decided on a pair of tight, black jeans, with a loose fitting green shirt and a black leather jacket, mostly for style. I donned matching black boots to conclude the look.</p><p>I closed the bedroom door behind me and snatched up my keys and a wallet out of a bowl I had placed at the edge of the kitchen counter, making my way to the outside world with the intent of hunting down some breakfast.</p><p>Really, I didn't eat <em>normal</em> food, so it was mostly just to scope out who was important here, and keep up the illusion that I was a normal new person in this town.</p><p>Although, it was hard to pass of as normal with my eyes the way they were.</p><p>I greeted Nancy as I strolled through the front door of the complex, breathing in the fresh air of the day. The sun had risen enough that the lightening had toned out, no longer hued in orange. I shrugged slightly before making my way towards the square, hands stuffed into my jacket pockets as I bounced along the sidewalk.</p><p>Upon getting there, I noticed there were several more people who had gathered on the benches, as well as around some of the smaller businesses. Looking around further, I no longer spotted the man I ad shared stares at with earlier. His car was still there, however.</p><p>I took another look around, noting that the only place to eat had to be that bar, and I wasn't exactly in the mood for the sub-par food they would serve there.</p><p>Not to mention how early it was.</p><p>I meandered a little ways more, trying to get a feel for the place, when a voice startled me from my thoughts. I whipped around to view him, and he gave me a small smile as he walked towards me.</p><p>"So," He mused, his hands going into his pockets, "Do you make it a habit of staring at strangers?" He raised an eyebrow, stopped a foot away from me. I laughed gently, raised my hand to tuck my hair behind my ear.</p><p>"Do you make it a habit of interrogating strangers that stare at you?" I chuckled quietly.</p><p>"Touche." He gave a huff of laughter. "I was just interested in what you were thinking while staring at me." His smile never wavered, but he did change the leg he was leaning on, and I tilted my head.</p><p>"Thinking?" I blinked. "Well... I suppose I thought you looked a little out of place. Isn't this a bit small of a town for that kind of car?" He stared at me for a long while before laughing gently.</p><p>"Well, I inherited it. Along with my house. I suppose that is a <em>bit</em> strange for a small town."</p><p>"I didn't mean to imply anything." I chuckled lightly. "I'm sorry, your name is..?"</p><p>"I'm sorry... Where are my manners." He held his hand out to me. "Stefan. I've had... a rough morning." That name rang a bell, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.</p><p>"So it seems." I took his hand, and we shook once. "Oleander."</p><p>"Interesting name." He pulled his hand back into his pocket, and I noticed immediately how defensive his entire posture was, even though he was trying to hide it behind a casual demeanor. His pointed questions only furthered my suspicions, meaning that newcomers didn't bode well here.</p><p>Especially ones that looked like me, I wagered.</p><p>"So I'm told." I shrugged, still smiling as sweetly as I could. "Say... You wouldn't happen to know where a girl could get some decent breakfast, would you?" Perhaps Stefan could be of use... I also wanted to know more about why he felt so... familiar.</p><p>"Uh, around here?" He laughed. "Unlikely."</p><p>"Damn." I twisted my face into disappointment as I looked around, clicking my tongue. "I'm afraid I'm new here. I failed to look into what my options would be while I was here." I sighed, exasperated.</p><p>"Are you not planning on staying long?" He tilted his head. It was a prodding question, one that a human wouldn't mind answering.</p><p>"Oh, uh... No, I moved into that apartment last night." I said as I motioned behind me. "But, my job allows me to travel at will."</p><p>"I see. And you just got in?"</p><p>"I did. Last night. I believe the remainder of my things will be in today... It will be a lot more flashy than the arrival of my taxi, I'm sure." I laughed. "Then everyone can make <em>wild</em> rumors about me." Stefan laughed.</p><p>"Used to it?"</p><p>"I've lived in several small towns. It's become amusing." I shrugged. He nodded, motioning to the car as he took a couple steps back.</p><p>"If you'd like, you can join me for breakfast." He offered, motioning to the seat.</p><p>"Really?" I inquired with a slight shrug. "I'm not intruding on your day?"</p><p>"Not at all." He grinned warmly. "I need to uh... Unwind, anyway. I'll give you a tour after." I agreed to his offer with a smile and a shrug, stepping in time with him towards his car.</p><p>A true gentleman, he opened the door for me and took my hand to lower me in the seat. I could say I was a little impressed. I was careful to remain light and dainty when I gripped his hand.</p><p>The inside was comfy, unlike the bed I had spent the night in, and I sighed into its leather interior before fastening my seat belt.</p><p>"Interesting reaction." He mused as he slid into the driver's seat.</p><p>"It's comfy. I've had a less than comfy night, courtesy of the landlord." I shrugged, and he snorted, pulling it into gear before driving off and onto a road that led almost out of town.</p><p>"So, you said you move around for your job?" He started as the Mystic Falls sign passed by my vision. My eyebrow twitched, but I did my best to remain calm.</p><p>"Quite." I grinned in his direction. "I'm a writer."</p><p>"Any kind in particular?" He seemed interested in the subject, as his face relaxed slightly.</p><p>"I've done several things here and there. Journalism, Novels, short stories, Poetry, song writing..."</p><p>"Wow." He really did sound impressed. "And the moving contributes to..?" He was prodding again, which I complied with the easiest of lies.</p><p>"Small town's are the easiest to work in. There's less... Hustle. Less distractions. There isn't copious amounts of colored lights and noises to pull you from the work, or various smells of delicious and equally disgusting scents all around you." I looked out the window with a huff. "Although <em>one</em> decent restaurant close to the apartment would've been ideal."</p><p>"Sorry to disappoint." He seemed to tease. I rolled my eyes, but smiled in spite of it.</p><p>Of course, while that was my cover, and I <em>did</em> do those things to keep that cover up, I was here because the journal told me I had been here before.</p><p>And yet, I had no recollection of it.</p><p>The journal only gave me so much information, based on a point of view I could not understand. In an attempt to jog any kind of memory, I decided coming here would be the easiest, most efficient way to get the upstairs working properly again.</p><p>Of course, a little havoc could be caused while I was at it.</p><p>He quickly pulled into the parking lot of a diner, only a few minutes outside of town, and parked. He was quick to jump out to, again, assist me from the car, the smile never really reaching those green eyes of his.</p><p>I thanked him anyway, and he led me into the diner. It was very clean on the inside, with several small booths and a bar across from them. There was a whole view of the kitchen, with a young waitress chatting up the two men on bar stools, clearly the only customers inside.</p><p>It was a pretty typical diner.</p><p>We sat in the booth at the farthest end of the diner, seating across from each other.</p><p>The waitress calmly walked over and asked what she could get for us.</p><p>He ordered a hamburger, to which I raised my eyebrows at.</p><p>"So early?" I questioned.</p><p>"Never too early." He smirked. I laughed, turning my attention to the girl again, noting how blindingly unattractive her uniform was, in striking yellow and red stripes.</p><p>"Whatever your biggest breakfast platter is. I'm absolutely famished." I smiled warmly and she began jotting down several things, asking me about smaller details of the order, to which I would quickly comply.</p><p>"I'll get your order in. Any drinks today? The usual, Stefan?" She looked between us.</p><p>"Yeah, thanks, Vick."</p><p>"Uhm... Hot tea for me, please." I grinned. She nodded before heading back towards the kitchen, yelling about an order being up. I merely chuckled at the crudeness. Quickly, a mug full of hot water and a tea bag were placed in front of me, along with lemon and sugar, and a coffee was placed in front of Stephen.</p><p>"So, Stefan," I began as I assembled my tea, "You say you inherited your property. How long have you resided in Mystic Falls?"</p><p>"A few years now." He said, taking a sip of the coffee straight black. He smacked his lips together quietly before putting the mug to the table. "I was born here. Just decided to move back after my last relative died."</p><p>"I'm sorry to hear." I sympathized, adding several more scoops of sugar to my tea. "Were you close?"</p><p>"Not really." He seemed to shrug. "What about you? Any family?"</p><p>"None to mention." I grinned, stirring in the lemon. "I'm a bit of a black sheep, as it were."</p><p>"Is it because you're a writer, or because of your eyes?" He leaned forward slightly, staring intently at me. I chuckled.</p><p>"Both." I tapped the spoon twice against the cup before setting it onto the nearby napkin, holding the rest of my silverware for use. "They considered me... Unnatural." I waved my hand. "And my personality only furthered their suspicions, when I became nothing like them."</p><p>I picked up the tea and took a sip, looking out the window at several cars passing by. It was a true story. One of the memories I was able to come to first, was that of how my parents treated me so long ago.</p><p>But I tried not to think too much into it, flicking my eyes over to the man across from it.</p><p>"That's unfortunate. You seem very nice."</p><p>"In a way." I laughed, setting the cup down. "This is more formalities. Although... I have told you more than the average stranger." I teased.</p><p>"Ah, well consider me a privileged acquaintance." He smirked. I snorted.</p><p>"Indeed. I don't even know your full name."</p><p>"I don't know yours, either." He countered.</p><p>"Touche." A slow smile spread across my features before food was suddenly being set in front of us. We thanked her, and she nodded, wandering back off towards her conversationalist customers on the bar stools.</p><p>"It's Salvatore." He said while reaching over to grab ketchup from a little stand at the other edge of the table. "In case your curiosity gets the better of you."</p><p><em>Salvatore...</em> The name bounced around in my head for a moment as I was salting my eggs, until it clicked. I flicked my eyes up at him, my hands pausing as I put pieces together in my head.</p><p>
  <em>Stefan Salvatore. The good brother.</em>
</p><p>My brain played over the small snippets of diary that he had been mentioned in, and I couldn't help but feel like my luck was about to drop.</p><p><em>Keep calm,</em> I told myself, resuming my motion of preparing my breakfast for consumption, <em>he has no way to tell what you are. It doesn't seem like he recognizes you, if he would at all.</em></p><p>"What?" He seemed to notice my pause, and I cursed mentally.</p><p>"Salvatore... As in the founding families?" I tilted my head slightly. He paused, his fingers encompassing the burger, but he was staring hard at me. I laughed. "I apologize, I was bored upon arrival yesterday. I was reading plaque's around the park, and rummaging through some history books."</p><p>"So she studied." He mused before nodding. "Yes, it's a long line of mostly men."</p><p>"I see." I mentally sighed, glad I was able to quickly reel in my excuses.</p><p>I needed to be more careful with this one.</p><p>"What an interesting find." I grinned. "My first day, and I'm having nosh with the town's fame."</p><p>"It's not as big of a deal as it sounds." He laughed before taking a bite of his extremely messy burger. He sighed, clearly satisfied with his choice, and I could only roll my eyes before delving into the sub-par breakfast platter in front of me.</p><p>At least they hadn't burned anything.</p><p>The rest of the meal was enjoyed in casual silence, each of us stuffing our faces until we were satisfied, both plates cleared on either side. I was sipping on my tea when our waitress came over, laying down a paper face down at the edge of the table. I assumed it was the check.</p><p>I reached for my wallet, by Stephen waved me off.</p><p>"I got it." He pulled a wallet from his back pocket and slipped out a couple twenties, handing it to the waitress. "Keep the change."</p><p>"We'll see you soon, Stefan." She grinned, picking up the plates and carrying them off as well.</p><p>"You didn't have to do that, but I appreciate it, honestly." It was a sweet gesture.</p><p>A very small part of me wanted to trust Stefan, even if it was at arms length. Perhaps he really <em>could</em> be useful, if I managed to play my cards right.</p><p>"No trouble." He grinned. "Now, how about that tour?"</p><p>"I'd be delighted."</p><p>Little did he know, a tour of the town would be in her favor, for a little pocket information, later used.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Day 3: Introductions and Fake Friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Day 3:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Common enemies.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That is the factor that binds most groups together.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>In this town, however, there were too many enemies to focus upon. It makes my plans easier to accomplish, flying under the radar of one already shady suspect.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They haven't pinned her, yet, but she will be guilty of more things than she will be able to recall.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I tapped my fingers against the bar of my kitchen, noticing the way my nails clinked against its counter top. I was lazily staring at my now decorated fridge, mostly by recipes and magnets I'd picked up over the years, but there were a few pictures, too.</p><p>I zoned in on one picture in particular, of a very old photo that was worn along the ends, and losing its shading. The Victorian aged woman was beautiful, with striking red hair and green eyes. She didn't smile, however. She looked a little bored, in fact.</p><p>Uninterested.</p><p>But in it's own way, she looked, and <em>felt</em> so familiar. I just couldn't place my finger on it.</p><p>Perhaps a peruse of some historical literature on previous persons would solve my issues there.</p><p>Quickly, I stood, making to grab the picture from under the magnet that held it, and grabbed my things from the bowl once again.</p><p>I gave a brief look to my now furnished apartment, although many things were still in boxes beside the furniture, and closed the door behind me, locking it swiftly.</p><p>Nancy stopped me at the front door as I made to leave, and I blinked in her direction.</p><p>"Deary, you have a letter!" She waved it about it her hand as she stood in the doorway of her disaster of an office.</p><p>"...Not in my mailbox?" I asked, approaching her with my hand extended.</p><p>"Said it needed to be delivered right away. They were only here a few moments ago. I'm surprised you missed them!" She handed it to me. I looked down at the fancy penmanship of my name scribbled across the front. I turned it over to see a red seal on the back, and all the hairs on my neck stood on end.</p><p>I didn't know why, but this symbol made every inch of my body crawl: A fancy 'M' in the middle of the red wax stood out at me. Quickly, i pushed to the outside, flicking my head around, trying to spot a figure that would seem out of place, but no one walking around this early afternoon struck any chords in my senses. I cursed, turning right back around and swinging the door to the complex open.</p><p>"Did they come inside, Nancy?"</p><p>"No, they caught me as I was coming in. Why do you ask?" I clicked my tongue in annoyance.</p><p>It explained why I hadn't been felt any presences here. I quickly ripped into the letter, feeling Nancy draw closer to me in an attempt to read it over my shoulder.</p><p>
  <em>-'Where have you been hiding?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We've missed you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-M'</em>
</p><p>I read the letter twice over, the pace of my breathing picking up.</p><p>Why did this bug me so much when I had no idea who it was? I turned it over. Nothing on the back. Quickly, i tore it into as many shreds as i could muster, handing it to the Landlady next to me.</p><p>"Burn this, please."</p><p>"Wha-Burn it?" She seemed confused as the little crumple of pieces expanded in her hand.</p><p>"Please." I said quietly before I left the building, carefully folding the picture I took from my fridge and placing it in my jacket pocket.</p><p>I tried to shake the feeling off of me as I made it onto the town square, pulling my glasses from my face with a sigh. I'd continue to the Town Hall, see if I could dig anything up on my past there.</p><p>Before I made it much closer, however, I heard a familiar voice from across the way, using a tone I found genuinely concerning. I stopped just in front of the bar and turned to the center of town. Stefan was standing there, chatting with someone who I wasn't familiar with, and they were talking quite hushed, as if they were hiding a secret. I waited a few moments, scanning their surroundings as I did.</p><p>The trees were beginning to bloom around them, as spring had arrived only a week or so ago. They were tall, and becoming very green in color, but still hardly provided any shade, which meant the midday sun was beating down right on them. Several pedestrians walked by them, clear lost in their own worlds and not paying a lick of attention to the conversation going on.</p><p>I took a few steps to the left, and caught view of the one he was talking to. A girl, nearly as tall as he was, with long brown hair and a look of pure concern across her face, as well as a touch of anger. I narrowed my eyes as I tilted my head. I made to listen to the conversation, but a throat being cleared quite close to me pulled me away.</p><p>Slowly, I turned my head and blinked up at a man who was leaning against an older car: A Camero that was well kept, blue in color with a convertible top.</p><p>He had black, shaggy hair and deep blue eyes, and wore a black half sleeve shirt, and black pants to match. He seemed to turn to me at the same time and smiled.</p><p>"They look like they're having fun, huh?" His voice was gruff, and sarcastic. I raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"Is that the idea?" I said, turning my attention back to them. "Do you know them?" I inquired.</p><p>"Do I?" He seemed offended by the notion, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shake his head in their direction. "My idiot brother and his equally annoying Ex girlfriend. They're having an interesting conversation."</p><p>"Stefan is your brother?" i perked up, turning back to him with a grin. He gave me the most confused look as I smiled. "You must be Damon Salvatore." <em>The Bad Brother</em>, I reminded myself.</p><p>"How'd you know?" He gave me a devilish grin as he pushed himself off the vehicle and took a step towards me, his arms pulling down to his sides.</p><p>"I met Stefan yesterday." I grinned, folding my hands behind my back. "He was kind enough to give me a tour."</p><p>"So you just moved here?" He raised an eyebrow as he looked around. "Why, doesn't it seem kind of boring?"</p><p>"Luckily, I like small towns." I shrugged. "More personable."</p><p>"Personable, huh?" He took another couple of steps until he was right in front of me. I looked up at him, gauging just how tall he was. Maybe a whole foot over me. His smile was very charming, but it didn't reach his eyes, either.</p><p>The brother's had that in common, apparently.</p><p>"So, you said they were having an interesting conversation?" I said, side stepping to view the two across the way. "Anything concerning?"</p><p>"Not for you, or they'd be over here." Damon seemed to prod. I rolled my eyes, smiling big at him.</p><p>"Nor you, yet you know what they're discussing anyway?" I inquired, which caused his eye to twitch slightly. "Don't worry, I won't tell Stefan you were <em>spying</em> on him." I chuckled, turning towards Damon.</p><p>"Oh, he knows I do. I think he's given up hiding things from me." He gave a smirk before tilting his head. "You look... Familiar."</p><p>"Do I?" I tried to maintain a normal posture, knowing well he would be able to catch if I lost my composure for any reason, but it <em>did</em> startle me that he seemed to recognize me, even if not fully.</p><p>I thought Stefan would be the one to worry about, but maybe not.</p><p>"Only you've just moved here, right?" He raised an eyebrow. "You sure we haven't met before?"</p><p>"Not that I can remember." Which was true. I shrugged slightly. "I <em>do</em> meet a lot of people."</p><p>"I feel like I would remember someone that looked like.. Well, you." He seemed like he was genuine, his face scrunching as if he was trying hard to remember where he had seen me before.</p><p>"...Thank you, I think?" I laughed slightly before a voice piped up next to us.</p><p>"Damon, who are you- Oleander." The surprise in Stefan's voice when he approached us was pleasant, and he smiled at me when I turned to greet him. "Hey."</p><p>"Afternoon, Stefan." I smiled. The girl he was previously conversing with stepped up next to him, eyeing Damon slightly, but then smiled at me.</p><p>"Oleander, this is Elena Gilbert." Stefan introduced. The two of us reached for each other's hands and shook gently.</p><p>"Nice to meet you." Elena smiled warmly. I noticed that she had been the only one so far that her smile <em>did</em> reach her eyes, and that made me curious. Was everyone else really so unhappy?</p><p>"Likewise." I responded.</p><p>"You just moved in, right?" Elena inquired, still smiling brilliantly. "I hope everything has been pleasant so far." She flicked her eyes over to Damon, and he seemed to scoff quietly.</p><p>"I'm enjoying the pleasantries." I laughed quietly. "I still have to settle into my apartment, but everyone's been quite, uhm... Nice?" i shrugged, not quite satisfied with the description, but it would do.</p><p>"No one's approached you with strange rumors yet?" Stefan inquired with a teasing smile. I rolled my eyes with a grin I couldn't stop from spreading.</p><p>"Not yet. Give it a few more days." He chuckled alongside me.</p><p>"We were discussing lunch." Elena grinned towards everyone. "Would you like to join us?"</p><p>"I wouldn't want to infringe, if you have plans." I held up my hands slightly. An arm clasped around my shoulders and I looked up to see Damon grinning.</p><p>"Not at all, Firecracker." He mused, and I couldn't stop the disgruntled look on my face from revealing itself from not only the pet name, but his decision to be overly friendly with the touching.</p><p>"Damon." Stefan seemed to warn, but he paid the brother no mind.</p><p>"What? I want to make sure our new <em>friend</em> here gets the real friendly experience. Right, Elena?" I followed his gaze towards the girl, who remained unmoved, except for her annoyed look flashing between the two of us.</p><p>Was this a normal behavior for him?</p><p>"Alright... I'll join you." I smiled very wide, and turned to grin at Damon. My face must've had an interesting look, because even <em>his</em> smile wavered. "If you get your <em>bloody</em> hands off of me." I said with a sweet tone. He stared at me for a moment before giving an impressed expression, and pulling his hands away with a bit of dramatic flare, backing away from me.</p><p>"My apologies, Princess." He seemed to tease.</p><p>"Damn right." I grinned over at the other two, who were trying not to smile as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Now... You were saying lunch?"</p><p>"Oleander is a writer." Stefan offered to Elena as they picked fries out of the basket in front of them, snacking before the main meal. Elena hummed interest as she turned to me, and I laughed gently.</p><p>"It's not as glamorous as it sounds." I shrugged, reaching for a fry myself. Right as I went to grab one, Damon, across from me, snatched it from under my fingers and popped part of it into his mouth, grinning and raising his eyebrows at me in a playful manner.</p><p>How I <em>wished</em> I could magically spell the rest of the fry up his nostrils.</p><p>I grabbed another fry as I saw Stefan noticeably shove his elbow into Damon's side, gaining a groan from the man.</p><p>"Have you done very many works?" Elena asked, clearly unphased by the two.</p><p>"I suppose you could say that." I easily popped the fry into my mouth, noting that the temperature of the product was a bit lukewarm compared to most foods. "I use several pseudonyms, so it's possible you've read a few novels here or there."</p><p>"That's so exciting! So, you're actually kind of famous." She grinned, genuinely excited about my talent. For whatever reason, that warmed my heart, and I couldn't help but smile at the girl.</p><p>She was kind of refreshing, emotionally.</p><p>"I suppose..." I said quietly, reaching for another fry.</p><p>"So modest." Damon rolled his eyes slightly as he reached for my fry yet again. Quickly, I moved for a different one before he could grab it and grinned at the triumph of thwarting him.</p><p>"Hn... Am I prude for not flaunting my fame around, Damon?" I tilted my head slightly.</p><p>"Well, if you have it, why not show it off?" He said, leaning forward, his smile settling into a smirk, although not matching the tone in his voice. I narrowed my eyes slightly.</p><p>"Not everyone is like <em>you</em> Damon." Elena said, rolling her eyes. "You'll have to excuse him, he doesn't have any restraint."</p><p>"Or manners." Stefan piped in, swiping another fry.</p><p>"Or care." Damon grinned with a tilt of his head.</p><p>"Yes, and that's why you have so many <em>friends</em>." A voice piped in to my left, causing me to turn quickly.</p><p>She had beautiful chocolate skin, and long, dark hair to match. She was smiling widely down at me.</p><p>Her smile reached her eyes as well.</p><p>"Hi there, I'm Bonnie." She grinned before turning and snagging a chair from the table behind her. "Sorry I'm late. I was uh... Studying." She grinned, taking a seat next to me.</p><p>"Nice to see you, too." Damon said with heavy laced sarcasm.</p><p>"Bon, this is Oleander." Elena introduced, and the girl, Bonnie, and I shook hands.</p><p>"Pleasure." I mused.</p><p>"So, what were we talking about, beyond the fact that Damon has some <em>incredibly</em> admirable qualities?" Bonnie grinned big, which made most of the table laugh. Damon only scoffed.</p><p>"We were asking Oleander about herself." Stefan said casually.</p><p>"By the way," Elena pulled my attention to her, "Do you like being called your full name, or do you have a nickname you prefer?"</p><p>"Oleander is fine." I nodded. "But if it suits you, Lea is easier."</p><p>"Lea, I like that!" Elena did a lot of grinning in social situations, I noticed.</p><p>"Huh." Damon said, and I noticed him eyeing Stefan, who was staring intently at the french fry in his hand.</p><p>I didn't like the sound of that.</p><p>"Share with the class, Damon?" Bonnie pressed.</p><p>"Nah. I'm good." Damon gave.</p><p>I stared at him for a few moments, watching his face contort with some form of defensive attitude, before he turned to me and raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"Want a picture?" He suggested.</p><p>"...Perhaps I should go." I suggested, looking to the rest of the party to my right. Both of them perked up, looking rather sad. "My presence apparently brings out the drama king."</p><p>"The drama king can hear you." Damon grumbled, and Elena snorted slightly.</p><p>"Everyone's presence brings out his majesty." Bonnie laughed slightly. "But if he's going to be such a downer, maybe he should find something else to preoccupy his time!" She then turned to him, almost as if she was silently commanding him to leave.</p><p>"Well, you know, I <em>was</em> getting bored. How thoughtful of you, Bonnie." Damon took another fry before pulling himself from the chair and walking towards the entrance of the Mystic Grill.</p><p>I watched him hesitate at the door as Bonnie shuffled to the open seat, exchanging a few words with Elena, turning to look directly at me. His face softened into something like confusion, then he disappeared out the door.</p><p>"Usually he picks on me." Elena said towards me, and I turned my attentions back to the group. "I wonder why he was so focused on you."</p><p>"Who knows what's really going on in his upstairs world." Bonnie sighed. "Are these free game?" She asked before digging into the fries, not really waiting for permission.</p><p>"I'm sorry if he struck a nerve." Stefan leaned over slightly and grinned at me. I shook my head with a grin.</p><p>"Quite alright. Actually, I <em>did</em> mean to leave as well." I said as I stood.</p><p>"So soon?" Stefan asked.</p><p>"No food?" Bonnie also interjected.</p><p>"Ah, well... I have to do some research, as it were."</p><p>"For a book?" Elena inquired with a gleam in her eye. I chuckled.</p><p>"Yes." I smiled at her, pushing my chair in. "But I enjoyed this exchange. If you're all free later in the week, perhaps we can mingle for dinner."</p><p>"I would love that!" Elena gleamed.</p><p>"Here, I'll walk you out while I snag your number for everyone." Stefan quickly jumped up, and I watched Elena's face fall into a mild confusion, although she tried her best to hide it.</p><p>"Thank you." I grinned. "I'll see you girls later." I said before walking out with Stefan next to me. He fiddled with his phone a bit while we were outside before handing it to me. I filled out the information lines before handing it back.</p><p>"Huh." He said as he saved it. "Thorn?"</p><p>"Is there something wrong with that name?" I tilted my head in his direction with a smile.</p><p>"No," He grinned up at me, "I just thought it was interesting. Your whole name is plant based."</p><p>"Well... When you put it that way, it's less interesting." We laughed together.</p><p>"Can I drive you somewhere?" He put his hands into his pockets as he fully turned to me.</p><p>"I'm only going to the... Library." I corrected myself. Doing "research" required books, and less about finding a person, so saying 'the town hall' would likely be suspicious.</p><p>"You sound sure." His smile widened a little. "Not somewhere else?"</p><p>"Well, honestly, it was to test you." I shrugged, hopefully catching myself. "I wasn't sure your town was <em>big</em> enough to have it's own library."</p><p>"Fair, considering we have a grill for a restaurant." He chuckled. It seemed convincing enough. "We do, although it's not very big. I hope you can find what you're looking for."</p><p>"Point a girl in the right direction?" I looked around before he pointed down one of the streets that interjected with the square.</p><p>"Right around the corner there. Can't miss it. Giant black letters on a brown building."</p><p>"How quaint." I mused, taking a few steps past him.</p><p>"I'll text you." He grinned, and we waved at each other before he dipped back into the Grill.</p><p>"Idiot." I cursed to myself as I made myself turn down the street towards the Town Hall. "What are you getting yourself into? <em>Focus</em>, dimwit!" I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets as I quickened my pace, my fingers running along the hem of the picture there.</p><p>I had to focus on my task. I couldn't afford to be distracted with social interactions, or 'friends'. I wasn't here for that.</p><p>And I'd do bloody well to remember.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Day 12: A Small Skip, and He Always Knew</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Day 4:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nothing extravagant to note.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Day 5:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Today, i just idly bide my time. No one has discovered the impending threat I've laid out, so I'm lazing about in the fields... Writing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Although, curious still, the youngest of the two brother's has taken notice of me. Even been as thoughtful as to greet me personally, through the expense of practically ignoring others.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm quite perplexed at the notion, as he is otherwise engaged, primarily, with Katherine Pierce.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Perhaps he could be of use.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Day 6:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I detest this flip-flop scene I seem to be now forcibly a part of.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Damon Salvatore. While easy on the eyes, the things that fall out of his mouth are... Infuriating. To put it nicely.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not even a week, and I fear i'm in the middle of some... pissing contest. To what end do these means have?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Causing me ailments, clearly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Damn it all</em>!" I growled, shoving at the books that were strewn about in front of me, some of them fell to the floor, while others just folded in on itself, or around others.</p><p>I sighed, exasperated as I ran a hand through my hair, tapping my finger against the small space of the table I had cleared.</p><p>Nothing. I had absolutely nothing.</p><p>I had searched and scoured every possible lead, even including some of the more far-fetched possibilities, and still, I came up short.</p><p>It was like any trace of this person, if she <em>was</em> me, had been completely absolved from history, with the only living proof being a few scribbled words in a booklet I had inherited.</p><p>I pushed away from the table, getting to my feet and opening up the window. It was mid afternoon now, and it'd been two whole weeks since I'd begun practically dodging the small gaggle of friends that wanted so desperately to know me. I blamed it on work, I blamed it on tiredness, and anything that could get me out of it, I used as an excuse to keep away from them.</p><p>And even still, they continued to chat with me through messaging, each one of them asking questions, and inviting me out with them. Except for Damon, and a couple of numbers I had not recognized as anyone I'd been introduced to.</p><p>Why did I find it so <em>hard</em> to get Damon's look from the doorway out of my head?</p><p>I turned back to the table, leaning on the windowsill as I did.</p><p>Perhaps I could use a bit of a distraction.</p><p>Whisking up my phone from the kitchen counter, I pulled up the group text I was a part of. Avidly, I'd been avoiding it, but perhaps it was time I turned to other options.</p><p><em>'Hello! Oleander here. Sorry I've been silent, but I think I'm in need a of a break. I was curious if anyone wanted to join me for lunch?'</em> I sent the message before noticing the darkness rapidly approaching the town outside. I chuckled before correcting my text. <em>'Er. Dinner, I suppose.'</em></p><p><em>'Dinner sounds great!'</em> The girl, Elena, replied. <em>'Should we meet at the grill?'</em></p><p><em>'I'll be there.'</em> Stefan had messaged. <em>'And, apparently, Damon.'</em> He put only a moment later.</p><p><em>'I'll bring Bonnie! See if Matt's off tonight.</em>' A number I didn't have a name for responded, and I mostly assumed it was a girl they had mentioned before, Caroline.</p><p><em>'Great! I'll get a table going.'</em> I grinned to myself, shoving the phone in my pocket. I was looking down at myself for a moment, and decided that I should change quickly.</p><p>I decided on a tight pair of jeans, a loose fitting black shirt, and a red leather half jacket to go along with the red heels I decided to wear.</p><p>I quickly ran my fingers through my hair, looking in the mirror as i groomed the curls a bit to make it look presentable, then I left the apartment.</p><p>"Woops!" I chuckled, snapping my fingers. I heard my shutters close as I strolled towards the outside world.</p><p>I crossed the street with ease, my heels clicking along the concrete, and I watched as several heads were turned in my direction. I flashed a grin towards a couple of men in particular before pushing the door open to the Mystic Grill.</p><p>It was empty for the moment, which I was grateful for, because I began pushing several tables together in the middle to accommodate for the party that was apparently about to occur.</p><p>"Can I help you?" A voice behind me said, and i whirled around to view him. A tall, muscly man with a warm smile shifted to one leg as he looked over me. He had the most brilliant blue eyes, and I couldn't help but stare for a moment. Was he human? "You must be Oleander, right?"</p><p>"Yes? Uh, and you are..?"</p><p>"Matt." He reached a hand out to me, and I took it, shaking it once before he retreated. "Nice to finally meet you. Everyone's been talking about you."</p><p>"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. What could they possibly have to talk about <em>me</em>? "Nothing good, I wager." I grinned, and he laughed gently.</p><p>"Now, that wouldn't be very nice, would it?" He teased before he shifted to help me with moving the chairs. "I assume everyone else is on their way?"</p><p>"I would hope, or I'm going to look really silly pushing all these tables together for two people." He laughed again.</p><p>"Definitely." We finished moving all the chairs accordingly when Elena hopped in, followed by Bonnie and two others I did not recognize.</p><p>One of them was blonde female, with a nice smile and a cute sundress, followed with matching heels. The other was a male, standing about as tall as Elena, with short, dark hair and a <em>clearly</em> cheery disposition as he scanned the room.</p><p>"Lea!" Elena waved, and I managed to wave back, smiling as they approached. "I'm so glad you were able to get out! Did you get much done?"</p><p>"I attempted to." I laughed. The statement was true enough. "I felt pretty burned out. I figured it'd be high time I make good on my follow up."</p><p>"True enough!" Bonnie grinned as she approached me. "Nice to see you again."</p><p>"Likewise, Miss Bennett." I smirked, and she rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Bonnie is fine."</p><p>"Lea, this is Caroline," Elena motioned to the blonde, who flashed me an extremely bright smile, much similar to that of her friends, "And this is Tyler." I reached out and shook both of their hands as we exchanged greetings. Tyler was the only one to give me a half-hearted smile. He seemed relatively uncomfortable with the social situation, as he kept glancing around.</p><p>"Have you ordered yet?" Caroline glanced between Matt and I.</p><p>"No, not yet. We just finished pushing the table together." Matt gave before promptly taking a seat in front of him. I made way to sit at the end, as not to feel overcrowded. Being left handed also made for an interesting time, so the open space was good for me. Everyone else rapidly joined, the 3 girls sitting together, and Tyler taking a seat next to Matt.</p><p>"And the other two?" I inquired.</p><p>"Right here, Princess." Damon said as him and his Brother strolled through the door. I tried not to let the irritation of of the now <em>second</em> pet name show on my face.</p><p>Everyone greeted each other according to the level of their friendships, and they were all polite in greeting me. Before much else could be said, a waitress came over to take our drink orders. Most of them had water, or some kind of soda. Damon ordered hard liquor and I ordered hot tea.</p><p>"So, Lea." Caroline leaned over to view me better and smiled. "Where are you from?"</p><p>"Oh, uhm..." I laughed slightly. "Do you mean where was I born, or where did I grow up?"</p><p>"Either." Bonnie grinned.</p><p>"Well, I was born in England. I don't remember much of it, but we moved here when I was quite young." I nodded at the half-truths of my own design. "We bounced around, really... I think I stayed in Pennsylvania the longest."</p><p>"What's it like there?"</p><p>"Dreary." I shrugged. "Sort of cold. It's very similar to Virginia." Everyone seemed to understand that as they hummed some kind of approving sound.</p><p>"Do you travel a lot?" Tyler inquired as he, too, leaned onto the table to view me. However, he wasn't smiling, which I found rather odd.</p><p>"Still? Yes."</p><p>"Why?" Again, a pointed question. I had already answered this once, my eyes flicking over to Stefan as I recalled the conversation.</p><p>"She's a writer." Elena gave, which caused him to look in her direction. "And you travel for... inspiration?" She looked to me as she asked for a confirmation on her information.</p><p>"Yes, basically." I nodded. "I also like to think about places I've never been to before, and try to go live there for a while, for the experience. Before this, I lived in Florida." The waitress arrived with our drinks, and everyone politely thanked her in their own way. I began assembling my tea according to my tastes.</p><p>"Will you be staying long?" Damon piped up from his side of the table, and my eyes trailed to his form. He was leaning on an extra chair beside him, his cup dangling loosely from his hand as he stared over me.</p><p>"I'm not sure." I confessed, never taking my eyes away from him as I finished brewing my cup. "I suppose it depends on how long it takes me to finish this book."</p><p>"I for one, would like to know what you're writing about!" Elena grinned. Near everyone seemed to agree with the notion, and I grinned down at my tea.</p><p>"Perhaps I'll let you sift through my notes." I grinned, raising the tea to my lips.</p><p>"And the songwriting?" Stefan smirked at me and I snorted.</p><p>"Oh, you remembered."</p><p>"Wait, you write songs?" Caroline laughed in excitement. "That's so cool!"</p><p>"It's... I'm not very good at it." I shrugged, taking a sip of the tea before putting it down. "You'd think, after writing countless words on paper, songwriting wouldn't be so... challenging."</p><p>"I'm sure you're fine at it." Stefan assured.</p><p>"Don't be shy, Firecracker. Give us a taste." Damon said with a raise of his glass. I saw Bonnie look over at him with a warning in her eyes, but he only shrugged. "I'm curious. She refuses to show off at all. Makes me wonder if she's actually written <em>anything</em>."</p><p>"Damon, there's reasons she wanted to keep a low profile. Have <em>you</em> ever been famous?" Caroline threw a little head bob his way, and he only scoffed.</p><p>"Like you have?"</p><p>"I know what it's like to be in a spotlight, and it's not for everyone. So quit acting pompous."</p><p>"It's alright, Caroline." I grinned towards Damon. "I understand that his phallus needs to be ever present in a conversation." He frowned immediately, and I heard Tyler snort, clearly trying to maintain a straight face. "Therefore when he feels threatened, he has to remind the group that he has one." I then smiled at Caroline, and all the table began oo-ing and laughing.</p><p>"So she has a tongue." Damon leaned forward, setting his drink on the table.</p><p>"And on that note," Stefan grinned towards Damon, "You have no comeback. Are you done?"</p><p>"...Yeah, fine." The brother grumbled, pulling his drink back before standing and going to the bar for another.</p><p>"That was quick." Matt laughed towards me.</p><p>"Was his dick bruised?" I gave, causing the whole group to laugh again.</p><p>"Remind me not to tick you off." Caroline grinned. "If I knew you could handle yourself, I would've brought popcorn to the show!"</p><p>"She's probably just been feeling us out." Tyler gave with a shrug.</p><p>"Not entirely wrong." I nodded. "To be honest, I wasn't sure what the appropriate levels of insults were for the group."</p><p>"Trust me, every person here has given Damon an earful." Elena said while widening her eyes for a second, as if to exaggerate her point. Everyone agreed with her.</p><p>The rest of the night went rather smoothly, with easy conversations, and warm fries to keep us fueled. I also picked at a burger before passing it off to one of the boys to finish, deciding to eat something <em>much</em> different later.</p><p>Everyone seemed mostly cheerful, and relaxed. Even Tyler, who had been stiff before, felt easier. Perhaps it was I who caused his initial discomfort being a stranger and all.</p><p>I stole a glance towards the bar, catching Damon's eye as I did. He blinked at me before tilting his glace in my direction. I gave a small grin before lifting myself from the table.</p><p>"Excuse me for a moment." I said quietly to Matt, who only nodded before rejoining their conversation. I walked over to the bar and slid into the stool next to the man, who was twirling the remainder of his drink in the bottom of the glass.</p><p>"Can I get you anything?" The bartender asked as he came over to us.</p><p>"Another?" Damon raised an eyebrow at him.</p><p>"...Whiskey. Straight." I gave, and the bartender nodded.</p><p>"You drink something beyond tea?" Damon seemed amused at the prospect.</p><p>"Not typically." I offered. "I thought it might be a special occasion."</p><p>"And what occasion would that be?" The drinks were set in front of us as he asked, and I took it in my hand and turned to him.</p><p>"The silent death of one Damon Salvatore's ego." I smirked, and he furrowed his brow. I laughed at the notion. "Only kidding. You really can't take it, can you?"</p><p>"Not today." He said before tossing back his new beverage. I stared at him for a moment before following the motion, grimacing slightly as it hit the back of my throat before sliding down.</p><p>"I'm sure I'm the last person you want to confide in..." I started, but he quickly interrupted.</p><p>"You'd be correct." He said with a slight gruff to his voice. I only rolled my eyes.</p><p>"<em>But</em>, there is a crowd of people over there you could talk to."</p><p>"Nah. None of them care." He scoffed.</p><p>"Then why bother with you at all?" I raised an eyebrow. The statement caused him to flick his eyes over at me. "You really don't think they'd listen?"</p><p>"Why do you care, anyway? Weren't you having a <em>jolly good time</em> over there with your new mates?" That last bit he gave his worst impression of a fake British accent, but I paid it no mind. I merely hummed.</p><p>"True." I knocked on the bar and a drink slid towards me from the bartender, almost knowing I was going to get another. "Let's blame it on the drinking." I said before tossing it back.</p><p>"...Alright." He sat up slightly and leaned closer to me. "See, there's this <em>new</em> girl in town." He started, setting his fingers on the bar in demonstration.</p><p>"Uh huh. Interesting. Is she pretty?" I gave, and he snorted.</p><p>"<em>Pretty</em> isn't the word I would use." He grumbled. <em>Ouch</em>, I thought, but only laughed a bit. "She's been here a couple of weeks, but immediately, everyone loves her. Why? Haven't they had enough heartache from newcomers lately?"</p><p>"Is she looking to break hearts?" I raised an eyebrow before knocking on the bar again. Almost immediately, another shot slid to me. "Do you think her intentions are bad?"</p><p>"I don't think they're <em>good</em>." He shrugged before leaning very close to me. I don't think he meant to, but there he was, a few inches from my face. I could smell the bourbon off his breath.</p><p>"You haven't tried asking what she wants?" I said quietly, my eyes involuntarily trailing to his lips.</p><p>"Hm... Good question." He said just as quiet. "What do you want with us, 'Oleander'?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.</p><p>"To trust you." I said simply, slowly raising the shot to my lips before taking it.</p><p>"And how can we trust <em>you</em>, when you haven't told us what you've been up to?" My eyebrow twinged slightly and I stared into those hard blue eyes of his.</p><p>"Haven't I?"</p><p>"What've you been researching?"</p><p>"I... For my book, I told you."</p><p>"But <em>what</em>, Lea?" He raised an eyebrow. "You can tell me, or I can tell <em>you</em>."</p><p>Shuffling is his pocket with his free hand, he pulled out a slightly crumpled piece of paper. He unfolded it and held it up towards me, giving me a full view of what it was: A picture.</p><p>My confidence dropped as my face fell, and I reached for it, but he only pulled it back.</p><p>"Who is this?" He asked, still holding the picture in view, but closer to him. "Because she looks a <em>lot</em> like you, curiously."</p><p>I leaned in to view the picture as close as he would allow. A girl, with fiery hair and green eyes was smiling wide, as if she had been laughing, and looking towards someone, who's face some covered by Damon's finger. On the other side of her stood another man, but his face was mostly out of frame, with a light leak mostly covering his features, but you could tell he was laughing with whoever he had been talking to.</p><p>My eyes flicked back to the portion of the man that Damon had conveniently covered. "Who is that?"</p><p>"That's what I'm asking." He growled before folding the picture back up.</p><p>"...Do they know?" I said even softer than before.</p><p>"No. But I <em>will</em> tell them." He then set the picture face down on the bar. "So who are you?"</p><p>"I am who I say I am." I gave, looking down at my hands. "But... It's complicated."</p><p>"I have dealt with my fair share of complicated. Are you here to hurt -us-?"</p><p>"Not intentionally."</p><p>"So unintentionally?"</p><p>"Look, I came to... figure all this out." I gave, holding my hands up and around me as a gesture. "I intended to stay away. Lay low, while I understood all of this. But... You lot are like <em>magnets</em>."</p><p>"A truer statement has never been spoken." He scoffed.</p><p>"So who is <em>she</em>?" I asked, reaching out and taking the picture. Damon seemed stiff, but didn't move otherwise.</p><p>I stared down at it and blinked.</p><p>"...It's you." I breathed looking back to him. "You're the one in the picture."</p><p>"...So you know what I am then." It was more of a statement as he took the picture from me.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"And Stefan?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"And the rest of them?"</p><p>"No, not entirely. I can guess?" He motioned to them, as a sign to try, I assumed. "Tyler is... A wolf, right? I can smell the difference. But Elena is human... I think Matt is human. Bonnie smells human... Caroline is a vampire. Is that correct?" Damon nodded.</p><p>"You sure you didn't do research on <em>us</em>?"</p><p>"No, I... I can feel it. That they're different. It's a matter of differentiating it, and making an educated guess." He stared at me for a while before folding the picture up and putting it back in his pocket.</p><p>"Her name was Leah Thorne." He said quietly. My mouth dropped in disbelief.</p><p>"So you-"</p><p>"Hey, girl!" Caroline came over and draped her arm around my shoulder with a smile. "The girl's are gunna hang out at my place. Do you wanna come?" I blinked up at her before smiling.</p><p>"That sounds lovely, Caroline." I agreed, and she giggled.</p><p>"Great!" She turned to Damon. "Mind if I pull her away from your slumping?"</p><p>"By all means." Damon waved her off, turning back to the bar.</p><p>I had so many more questions, but I let Caroline take my arm in hers and drag me out of the bar into the street, all the while I was looking back at the man who had given me a glimmer of hope at finding out my past.</p><p>He didn't turn to watch me go.</p><p>And I spent the entire night distractedly thinking about that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just a quick note!<br/>The main character goes by Lea, pronounced "Lee", where as the "girl" in the picture is Leah, pronounced "Lee-Uh". I did this on purpose, and wanted to clarify in case it was confusing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>